This has been making the rounds, so I thought I would chime in. Derek, The Fogey, and Fr. Chris have all offered their opinions. The question at hand asks which books have been especially formative in your faith journey. I have pieced together a partial list:
1. The Bible (this should be a no brainer). It’s the book I get paid to talk about. Can you imagine a more awesome job!?
2. The 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Before I ever returned to the church, I found a 1928 BCP in a library sale. It is what led me to the Daily Offices. Though I have been using another office book since December, the ‘28 seems to still be close at hand for me at all times. From this other Anglican liturgical gems have found their way into my life, including the St. Dunstan’s Psalter, The Anglican Breviary, The Anglican Missal, and the St. Augustine’s Prayerbook.
3. The Lutheran Book of Worship. Let me say first of all that this book was not chosen because I think it is is the finest liturgical work ever produced. I chose it because it is the service book that has been used since I became Lutheran, and the corporate worship contained in the LBW has profoundly impacted me. The first Eucharist I ever celebrated was a Setting II Eucharist 7 days after my ordination, and I can never forget what that was like.
4. Too many Merton books to list them all, but The Ascent to Truth, Contemplative Prayer and Life and Holiness all rank pretty high.
5. The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels. This book provided a sorely needed slap upside my head about a decade ago when I was getting a steady diet of Jesus Seminar stuff.
6. The Rule of St. Benedict. I’d always been more attracted to St. Francis than St. Benedict until 2004, when I really started to spend time with the Rule. It has shaped the way I view a lot of things, especially ministry. I am currently using the breviary Benedictine Daily Prayer for the offices.
7. The Book of Concord. Yep, the big book of Lutheran dogma. Read it. Love it. Live it. (Well, ok, there are a couple of things in there that drive me batty and that I can’t quite reconcile with what I have learned and experienced, but all in all it has formed me theologically in a way second only to Scripture.)
8. Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, edited by Lull. As close as one can come to a Luther vade mecum. Think of it as the Sportscenter of Luther’s thought…it doesn’t have everything, but you get the highlights.
9. The Philokalia. I’ve been reading it for 2 years. I still haven’t made it out of volume 1 (except to snoop around in the other 3 volumes). This isn’t a book you read, so to speak. It is a collection of wisdom upon which to meditate. It is a partner for the journey. Read The Way of the Pilgrim before you decide to tackle this one.
I am too lazy to provide links for the books. You can google ‘em if need be.
